Day 1: Arriving in The City of Lights

Our two month Odyssey around Europe kicked off today with my first ever all-nighter.  I flew out of North America just as it was darkening and into Europe as light was dawning, so a full night was lost in between. While my flight from Toronto to Brussels arrived early without a hitch, the connecting flight from Brussels to Paris was 90 minutes late. The delays piled up from there with half an hour at baggage claim, a 45 minute wait for the bus downtown which ended up short-turning, altogether leading to hours of transit to get to our B&B.

We arrived just before 5PM, both exhausted. The apartment room -- minuscule compared to my spoiled Toronto life -- was pleasantly fully equipped and entirely ours to use. After getting settled in, and discovering that toilets aren't always included in washrooms, we decided to go for a walk outdoors.

It was rather chilly and rainy out today but the sky did briefly clear up enough for us to spend a couple hours outside. We took a long and winding walk around our very nice neighbourhood, running into bakeries and cafés around every turn. The large boulevards and stacked apartments with ground-level storefronts really reminded me of Hanoi, except far less crowded and polluted. I was pleasantly surprised by all the greenery and all the beautiful architecture that popped up all throughout our route in the casual form of post offices, fire departments, or cafés.

After a slice of apricot pie for me and a pistachio flan for Julie, we headed back to the apartment to rest for a very busy day ahead tomorrow.